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5 top ways to educate yourself online

I’ve been wanting to add a new component to my blog for awhile now (read: a long time) but I was waiting for something. I wasn’t really sure what and I couldn’t really put it into words why I hadn’t started or made this happen. I knew I wanted to contribute something I’m pretty passionate about – marketing and business advice for small and creative businesses but I just hadn’t got around to it. And then The Blogcademy happened.

All of a sudden no excuses, no reason why not to. Full steam ahead. (More to come on this soon…Inspirational? You bet!).

As a self employed small business owner who works from home I often find I am looking for some background noise from time to time to keep me entertained and interested while working on some of the more mundane projects and tasks we all need to complete.

I started searching for podcasts and courses online a few years ago and I wanted to share with you today 5 of my favourites. The education and inspiration I have received from these sites is just amazing to me – it really helps me to feel connected with the rest of the world in the most creative way possible. I highly recommend doing a little online learning or listening when you get a chance.

one. Creative Live is an amazing online portal of classes that you can watch for free when they are live. I have watched countless hours of courses on everything from pattern design to eating well and feeling confident in yourself. This is a game changer for anyone who wants to learn and soak up information and educate yourself on a myriad of topics. You can RSVP for upcoming classes too and then you’ll receive an email when your class is about to start so you don’t miss it. And if you do you can buy any of the classes available and it will be yours to watch forever.

two. Jess Lively has a great blog about living and working with intention which is really inspirational and recently she started a podcast which is now a highlight in my week. The podcast is with one guest every week and covers topics from wellness to small business issues to gratitude. The podcast runs between 40 minutes and an hour on average and is a great listen and of much inspiration to me.

three. Marie Forleo is a superstar of the digital world and specialises in giving you the goods (and confidence) on how to make your entrepreneurial dreams come true. Her weekly videos are a mix of Q&As, interviews and topics covering things you need to know to get ahead. Have a look at her website and you will see a wealth of knowledge and content that will provide a huge amount of inspiration.

four. Being Boss is a new entrant into the market but I am really excited by what I have heard so far from these two creatives with their own unique businesses. Kathleen and Emily will be putting together some great content based on their own experiences and what they have learnt about being creative entrepreneurs. Very excited to see what is to come. Psst – both their own sites also offer great email content too.

five. Skillshare is the only one of my top five that requires a financial investment but I figure by the time you’ve soaked up all of the above great and amazing free content you are ready to invest in yourself a little. Skillshare offers a huge variety of online courses taking you step by step through topics as diverse as learning the Adobe suite to writing books to watercolour painting. These are great courses led by highly qualified tutors and will give you loads of inspiration and skills as you need them on your creative journey.

I hope you have found some benefit in my first Bright Business post. I can’t wait to share more with you! If you have any questions for me or ideas for future posts please let me know.